Pefect Machines
by Haiku Kitten
Summary: Querl takes a trip to Takron Galtos to visit his mother. Brainiac 5, R.J. Brande, Brainiac 4, and Triad.


**Perfect Machines**

By: Haiku

Rating: T

Fandom: Legion of Super-Heroes, Reboot

Character(s): Brainiac 5 – R.J. Brande, Brainiac 4, Triad

Author's Note: This story is a companion fic to my other three Reboot fics (Monsters, The Nothing, and Sister, Sister, Sister). For background info on the events that take place in this story, see Legion of Super-Heroes Reboot #77 and the Reboot arc "The Dark Circle", particularly Legion of Super-Heroes #108 and Legionnaires #65.

**Perfect Machines**

_The older I get, will I get over it?_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I didn't know then it would hurt like this_

_But I think, the older I get, maybe I'll get over it_

_It's been way too long for the times we missed_

_I can't believe it still hurts like this_

_**-The Older I Get, Skillet**_

"Lad, are you sure about this?" Brande asked. "You don't have to come here just because she asked for you. After what she has done, you owe her nothing. You understand that, right?"

Querl strode purposefully down the hall, leaving his older guardian no choice but to hurry to keep up with him. He did understand, of course, that he owed his mother nothing whatsoever. No, he knew that she was the one who owed _him_. He was a logical thinker and he understood the situation from every single angle. So why was he here, at Takron Galtos? Why had he rushed here the minute he'd heard word from her?

Brande caught up to him and touched him arm, trying to catch his attention. "Querl," he spoke solemnly. "I know you want her approval but she is not capable of giving that to you. You need to put her to rest."

"I'm not here for her approval." Querl drew away from him, his expression cold. "She asked me here and it would be irresponsible of me to ignore one of the universe's most intelligent super villains." And he had some questions for her himself.

That seemed to be enough to get Brande to give up because the old man's shoulders slumped and he followed Querl in silence after that. Maybe he knew better than to fight with Querl because it was common knowledge that Querl could not be talked out of anything once he put his mind to it.

When they reached her cell, Brainiac 4 was sitting cross-legged on her cot, her eyes closed and her brow furrowed. Querl took the opportunity to look her over, noting which physical attributes he'd gotten from her side of the family; a cleft chin, blond curls, and the same shade of green skin. Her frame was like his own - lanky and bony but still fit and belying strength.

"We were bred to be like this," he spoke aloud, perhaps intending for Brande to hear or perhaps just musing to himself. He placed his hands against the force field locking Brainiac 4 inside her cell. "We are the ultimate thinking machines. Our bodies are designed to keep us alive and healthy as long as possible."

Whether Brande was meant to be privy to that or not, he responded. "Your ancestor, Vril, was genetically designed like this," he said calmly. "Since then, ColuGov has been careful to keep the line pure. Your father was chosen after much deliberation. According to the records, they were hoping to increase the fighting capabilities of the Brainiac line."

Brainiac 4's eyes suddenly shot open, surprising them both. Slowly, she turned her head to look at them, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I see that their choice was a poor one," she remarked calmly, as though she was talking about the weather or the time of day. Just as suddenly as her eyes had opened, her expression changed to one of surprise. "Oh my, little Querl! You've grown to be such a lovely young man, haven't you?"

Querl shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to make of the statement. "… Mother, you asked me here for a reason, I assume."

The woman stood up from the cot with a fluid grace and stepped towards them, placing her own hands against the force field in line with Querl's. She looked straight into his eyes, her green orbs matching his own. He shivered, feeling as though he was seeing pure brilliance swirling in her irises. She was ruthless, efficient, _perfect_…

"My baby boy," she crooned to him sweetly. "I only wanted to see you again. Mama has missed you so much, little Querl. But you never come see me and I thought you had forgotten your poor old mother. Don't you love me anymore, Querl?"

"Of course I still love you." The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. He cringed when he saw her lips twist in a cruel smirk. "Mother…"

Wicked delight flashed in her eyes. "You silly little rat! It's so funny to see how desperate you are for my affections. I wonder how that feels? Is it nice? Won't you tell me about it, little Querl?"

He swallowed thickly, feeling his heart beginning to beat wildly in his chest. Why did she have to say something like that? Even if it was a lie, couldn't she pretend to love him? He kept his hands pressed to the force field almost desperately. Hers were still there as well. "It isn't nice," he whispered back to her. "It hurts."

"That would be nice," she replied simply, her tone almost childlike. "To hurt would be a relief."

"Can you really feel nothing?" Querl rested his forehead against the force field as he stared in at her. If only there was some way he could help her. If he found a way to give her sensation, would she love him then? "Did you never feel anything for me?"

She shrugged her shoulders flippantly and her lower lip stuck out in a pout. "I tried to," she insisted. "It isn't my fault there wasn't anything there. Everyone said that having a baby would help so I did – I even gave birth to you naturally. But there was nothing. Perhaps there is something wrong with you?"

Querl drew back at that, losing contact with the force field while Brainiac 4 remained pressed against it, staring out at him with a strangely vacant expression. "There's… there's nothing wrong with me," he whispered back.

"Lad, I think it's time we left," Brande spoke up sternly, placing a hand on Querl's shoulder. "Miss Dox doesn't seem to have any real reason for calling us here and I don't think it wise to let her play games when you and I both have serious matters to attend to."

"So mean, old man." Brainiac 4 feigned being hurt, her eyes widening dramatically. "You won't even let me spend some time with my baby boy?" She smiled then, looking so honest that it was hard to imagine she was cruel at all. "Querl, baby, won't you stay and spend some time with your mama? You and I could get along, couldn't we?"

"You tried to kill me," Querl whispered. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't trust her again. He loved her _so much _but he didn't trust her for a minute.

She tossed her hair dismissively and laughed. "All in the past, boy, all in the past! Think of all the brilliant things you and I could achieve! We could rule the universe together!"

"I don't want to rule the universe," he objected angrily, his hands clenching into fists. Why couldn't she understand that he just wanted love? It was such a simple request but she'd never even tried to give that to him. He wasn't sure if he could believe that she truly wasn't capable of it. "I don't want anything like that."

"Then why did you come?" Her tone abruptly changed to ice, her face contorting into a scowl. "What do you want from me, boy? Do you want love?" She laughed again, the sound chilling and unpleasant now. "You are truly stupid if you think that matters!" Querl's face fell and this seemed to incite her even more. "Stupid child! What an idiot! You can't possibly be any son of mine!"

"That is enough!" Brande bellowed, gripping Querl by the shoulders and steering him away from the cell and back in the direction they'd come. "We're going now," he told his ward firmly. "I have allowed this to go on long enough. Miss Dox can remain in solitude if she treats her visitors like this."

Querl numbly allowed Brande to push him along, back to the port where they'd docked their ship and away from the terrible, beautiful woman who would never care about him, whether she was capable of such emotions or not. Brande's large hands were a comforting presence against his shoulders but they couldn't really comfort him after this.

"You can't take that to heart," Brande murmured kindly. "She's a tyrant, Querl, and she isn't worth your time. There's nothing more you can do for her."

"But it isn't her fault, is it?" Querl murmured. "That could have been me. I could be just like her if I'm not careful. I… I almost was." His body trembled. "I'm no better than she is…"

"That is not true." Brande squeezed Querl's shoulders comfortingly. "My lad, you are a hero. You care about others and you use your abilities for good. Most importantly, Querl – you love your mother unconditionally. That makes you very different from her."

They stepped out onto the port and Querl looked up at the ship that awaited them. Luornu stood there, smiling nervously at them as they approached. "How did it go?" the Carggite asked. Her smile fell away when she noticed their grim expressions.

"As well as we expected, I suppose," Brande replied tiredly. "She didn't want anything important; just a chance to torment Querl."

"Oh, Brainy…" Querl suddenly found Luornu's arms around him, hugging him tight. "I told you not to go. Whatever she said, it's not true."

He brought his arms up and hugged her back, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "I… I didn't think it would be this hard," he admitted quietly. "I thought I could handle it."

They stayed that way for a while, simply hugging each other, Querl taking comfort in Luornu's support. He didn't know what else to say or if he was okay. But he wanted to be okay and he wanted to be able to look at Luornu and Brande and know that they were all that mattered. Maybe they would be one day. At any rate, they mattered at least as much as his mother did.

As long as there were at least these two people, maybe things would be okay.

FIN~


End file.
